


Summer lovin' (happened so fast)

by mkhhhx



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Fluff, Holidays, Jooheon Bingo, M/M, Pining, Travel, cute boys being extra cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-10
Updated: 2019-05-10
Packaged: 2020-02-29 15:08:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18780745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mkhhhx/pseuds/mkhhhx
Summary: A writer, a racer(?) and ten days at Spain do the trick.





	Summer lovin' (happened so fast)

**Author's Note:**

> I took some (=a lot) of artistic liberty with the prompt that is "underwater".

It’s hot, not pleasantly so, but neither unpleasantly, really. Jooheon didn’t know what to expect from Spain, but it was pretty close to what he can currently see out of the bus window. Wide, vast expanses of olive trees and fields of dry land.

It’s soothing to the eye and he lets his head fall back on the uncomfortable headrest. Some of the passengers are listening to music, some talking to each other and some have already dozed off. The tour guide told them that going back to the hotel will take some time anyway.

Kihyun next to him has fallen asleep, soft brown hair into his eyes and his fists balled in his lap where the tiny notebook and pen he carries with him everywhere are nesting too. The professional camera around his neck looks heavy, rocking on top of his chest with every breath. Jooheon thinks he seems cute, even lets himself look at Kihyun for a while, a small smile forming on his lips. They aren’t friends, or anything of the sort, but some kind of camaraderie has been forming since they met each other a few days ago.

 

 

Jooheon was anxious about meeting his roommate for the trip. It was suggested by the travel agency when he booked the ten-day trip to Spain, to room the people who are traveling alone together so they could cut down the individual costs. A few days afterwards he received a call that another traveler had agreed, so the agent had booked them a spacious room with two beds. He didn’t know anything about his roommate until the first day of the trip though.

They met at the airport, very, very early in the morning. The airplane ride to Spain was a long one and the time difference would be a bitch on them. The tour guide was waiting holding a big sign she lowered only after everyone from the group had showed up –about thirty people- and she had ticked off their names from her list.

Jooheon was half-asleep, curled on a chair at the gate, hugging his bag for dear life, one earphone plucked in his ear and the other dangling around his neck when a man approached him.

“Hey, are you traveling alone? Are you Jooheon?” His voice was rough, like he had barely used it since waking up, but underneath that it was really gentle.

Jooheon had looked up at him, at his blue button down tucked inside his shorts and the camera hanging around his neck. He gave his friendliest smile.

“That’s me” he had said, spotting the tour guide watching them from the corner of his eye, “are you my roommate?”

“I think so” The man grinned, his eyes forming tiny crescents, “Kihyun, nice to meet you”.

 

 

Jooheon had a lot of time to learn things about Kihyun, from the long airplane ride to their time spent in the bus and even when visiting museums and churches and monuments around Madrid, the first stop of their trip.

Kihyun was a quiet man, but at the same time always up for conversation. He had a soft voice but strong opinions. He laughed at silly jokes a lot and loved taking pictures. He snored lightly and didn’t mind Jooheon’s loud music at mornings. He took his coffee black and ate more eggs at breakfast than Jooheon thought it was humanely possible.

Kihyun’s eyes got all starry when he saw a pretty painting or beautiful flowers or a puppy. He also kept a small notebook in his shorts pockets at all times, taking it out to scribble notes every now and then. And Jooheon has never been so interested in a –practically- stranger before, yet he found Kihyun so amusing.

 

“So do you work?” Jooheon had asked at the second day of their trip, the two of them at a small pizza place since they had the evening to themselves and all other people of their group have gone off with their families or significant others. It was a little awkward, two men dining at a small table by themselves, but at the same time Jooheon knew most of it was just in his head.

Kihyun looked relaxed, nursing some white wine in his hand, glasses low on his nose.

“I’m a writer, actually.” He had said and for some reason Jooheon found that to be so fitting. “I’ve been having difficulty to write for my novel lately, so I came here in hopes of finding some inspiration…or something.”

“That’s so cool!” Jooheon had exclaimed, making a mental note to google Kihyun’s name later, out of pure curiosity.

“What about you?” Kihyun took another slice of pizza for himself and served one on Jooheon’s plate too.

“I’m a professional racing driver.” Jooheon muttered. He’s not sure for the use of present tense, not after the injury and his coach telling him he could use some holiday.

“And you think I’m the cool one!” Kihyun had laughed.

And it was a beautiful night, eating too much pizza and getting a little tipsy on wine and getting lost in the narrow streets of Madrid until they asked around for the way back to the hotel, both stumbling back to their room too late at night, giggling to a joke that probably wasn’t even funny.

 

 

And by the third day of the trip, Jooheon was used to all the olive trees and the kind of warm weather that was different from the summer at Korea. And maybe he was used to that little feeling of affection for Kihyun blooming into his chest. And he was trying to reason with himself, that it has only been some days and he can’t be falling for someone like this, that after that trip they would be nothing more than strangers again.

Yet, when the bus took them to the palaces and the tour guide showed and explained to them every little pretty detail, Jooheon’s mind was still racing to Kihyun. And when they climbed up the countless stairs to an ancient castle made of stone and Kihyun pointed his camera at him, told Jooheon to flash him a smile, Jooheon is sure he felt his heart stopping for a few seconds.

More dinners followed, candles on the table between them and sharing bottles of sangria, sweet with sugar and fruits. And more mornings, with Jooheon’s music blasting as Kihyun was shaving in the bathroom and the television was on to some Spanish station. And more photos and jokes and their hands brushing and their shoulders bumping and Kihyun sleeping on Jooheon in the bus.

 

 

There are so many museums, gardens, churches, oh so many churches and every day is packed, tiredness slowly creeping in Jooheon’s bones day after day, but he happily takes everything in. Their tour guide knows where to take them and the group, being together for some time starts having a steady dynamic. That one family who is always at the front asking questions, those two teenagers always a few steps behind, Kihyun walking around with his camera and Jooheon sometimes snapping pictures with his phone and other times chatting with someone.

 

 

Time flies quickly when you’re having fun and they are already driving to their last destination, Barcelona. It’s only a few hours from the last city they stayed, so they eat a generous breakfast and the tour guide hoards them into the bus. Jooheon listens to his music, watching Kihyun as he looks at pictures on his camera, deleting the double or shaky ones. Spanish pop music is playing that the driver seems to enjoy a lot and most of the passengers are lively since all the walking and sightseeing will be done later.

“We have free time tomorrow afternoon” Kihyun says, suddenly. “Do you want to come to the aquarium with me?”

“Sure” Jooheon replies, without even thinking about it.

It’s only after they’ve settled into a new hotel and heading for lunch that he thinks that aquariums are traditionally places for dates. But maybe Kihyun is only interested in the fish and having someone to discuss them with.

They see one more church and some paintings museum and then, at late evening the bus takes them to the beach, the guide giving them two whole hours to swim and chill and maybe enjoy a cocktail. Kihyun looks funny, a set of sunglasses too big on his face, flip flops on his feet and his pistachio colored swimtrucks. He leaves his bag and towel on a sunbathing chair and wastes no time, running to the ocean.

Jooheon, orders a coffee and watches the people around him. Kids running around with ice cream and building sandcastles, elder couples applying sunscreen to each other. Kihyun’s head, his hair wet and sticking on his forehead poking out of the sea.

Jooheon has never been such a big fan of swimming, but it’s one more experience. And it’s gonna be good for his injury, as the doctor had mentioned, so he decides to give it a try, his old navy swimsuit barely used through the years.

When he finally decides to get up the sand burns his feet and then the water up his ankles is too cold. But Kihyun is waving at him, so he keeps going until the water reaches his chest and he dips his head in too. And it’s better than he remembered it to be from the old family vacation at the seaside.

Kihyun looks so happy, flailing his arms and splashing around and swimming like a dog would. And he looks so pretty, so pretty that Jooheon, for a moment, forgets everything. He forgets the nerve at his arm that sometimes hurts too much after the crash. How his career has probably ended and he has to find a new job when he gets back to Korea. How he feels guilty for lashing out at his coach the last day before leaving for Spain. For a moment, it’s all Kihyun, the charming writer with the too big camera around his neck.

And Kihyun gives Jooheon his goggles, tells him to dive underwater and see. There are fish, hundreds of tiny fish and golden sand and stray seashells and pebbles. And there’s Kihyun holding his breath and staring at him staring at the fish. And after eight whole days together, it’s the first time this thought passes Jooheon’s mind. How much he wants to kiss Kihyun, right then and there, underwater, like some scene for a movie.

But of course, he doesn’t. And when they get out to take a shower and pack their things he can’t stop thinking about how Kihyun looked like he wanted to be kissed too.

 

 

“Are you dating someone?” Kihyun asks out of the blue when they are at the aquarium the next day.

“If I was I would be here with them right now” Jooheon answers, feeling the blush creeping up his cheeks. He stares on the eels in front of him instead, suddenly more interesting than any other question Kihyun has up his sleeve.

“Neither am I” Kihyun mentions quietly, moving to the next exhibit.

And before they go they ask someone to take a photo of them together in front of the shark tank, Kihyun’s arm around his waist and Jooheon’s around Kihyun’s shoulders. And that must mean something, right?

 

 

Their last night at Spain is one of the best in Jooheon’s life. They walk around the city in awe of the local fancy architecture. They have dinner together, paella at a small cute restaurant with tables for two set at the sidewalk that are maybe a little too romantic and then they are heading to the palace, standing on a hill above a square that Kihyun insists they must visit, so Jooheon obviously follows.

There is a fountain, biggest than most Jooheon has seen before, colorful lights creating magic with the water. It’s almost as stunning as Kihyun is, with his stripped pink button down half open, for once not tucked inside his skinny jeans. In plain shorts and a black shirt Jooheon feels he’s underdressed for the occasion, whatever that is.

They hike up to the palace overlooking the whole square and Kihyun takes more photos, unashamedly now turning his camera to Jooheon. And then they stand at the balcony side to side, watching the fountain show and the people moving around.

“Is this another place you’d bring a date to?” Kihyun asks, a sly smile on his lips.

“Definitely is” Jooheon swallows down the lump in his throat.

There is tension in the air, with all the unsaid words.

And it’s one more time Jooheon chickens out of kissing Kihyun. But it’s okay, because soon they are getting breakfast and going to the airport, waiting for their flight back to Korea. And the whole trip is like a dream and Jooheon is just now waking up, although Kihyun spread and half asleep on a chair next to him is still very much real.

Jooheon is almost convinced that their little movie-worthy romance is over.

 

 

When they finally land, it’s early in the morning. Kihyun has drooled on Jooheon’s shoulder and their tour guide is binding them goodbye, reminding them to not forget to collect all of their luggage.

Jooheon knows where to go to get the train back to Seoul, but something is stopping him. He’s standing in front of Kihyun and neither of them are ready to say goodbye, unmoving with their eyes downcast. Thankfully, Kihyun is the least shy and takes the initiative that Jooheon would never.

“You must be hungry, right?”

“Oh, right.”

“Let’s take the train back to Seoul together, I know a nice place for brunch near the station.”

“Like a date?”

“If you want to.”

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
